210 Chinese Shadows (OT: Chinese Schimmen)

Chinese Shadows (OT: Chinese Schimmen) (210)

14:00, Friday 03rd July, Theatre B

Director: Frank Kouwenhoven, Antoinet Schimmelpenninck (NET)

Year: 2007

Run time: 58'

Format: DVCAM, PAL

This is a nostalgic portrayal of the age-old art of rural shadow theatre in Huanxian in northwest China. We meet with local puppeteers, puppet makers and musicians who introduce their art with great passion. Their rough-hewn faces, the images of the arid landscape and the (equally unpolished) puppet performances determine the tone of the film. The performers are followed during a tour in the countryside, doing shows in cave dwellings and in temples. We record the disappointment of the men over the decline of their art. Yet a ray of hope remains for this tradition.

About this Festival

Sponsored by the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain & Ireland (RAI) since 1985, it is an itinerant festival that moves biennially from one university host to another, in association with local community and cultural organisations.